The Stage Door (Camren/Norminah)

Higher Ground

Camila POV

Monday was fast approaching. Monday, the day I would confess myself to Lauren in front of a crowd of people. It wasn't a large crowd, just our entire class and our teacher, but it was enough to make me nervous. The last few days had been a blur and I hadn't had a chance to spend much time with the beautiful green-eyed girl I had become so fond of. Her and Ally had become attached at the hip, rightfully so, as they put the final touches on their song and I spent every moment that I wasn't in class, behind the library with my guitar and my thoughts, hoping that I was making the right decision with my confession. 

My nights however, were spent curled up with Lauren, falling asleep with her arms wrapped around me to whatever movie we had decided to watch that night and in the morning I would wake up alone and get ready for the day while I waited for Lauren to return. And every morning when she returned, I could see the girl I was falling for, looking more and more defeated. I knew she wanted to tell them who she was and on Friday she had returned, flopping herself down on the bed and telling me how she almost told them.

Clara and Mike had been outside, sitting on their porch and drinking coffee and Lauren felt a surge of confidence and marched straight towards the house, but when she got to the sidewalk directly on the other side of their street, she chickened out and threw up her hood and walked quickly back to the bus stop. 

"I mean really, what would I have said, hey I don't know if you remember me, but you left me at a hospital 16 years ago in Miami and well here I am, so do you want another kid or what?" She had told me. "I'm such an idiot Camz, I don't know what to do."

I had known Lauren for three weeks now, but it felt like I had known her a lot longer than that. She had become more open with me since her confession and I had been more open with her since the night I told her about my past. We could sit in silence for hours, not saying anything and it was comfortable. I could tell what she was thinking, just by a look and she could finish my sentences without hesitation. 

And I had decided that she was the moon and I was the sun. And we belonged together. 

Saturday I spent the day in the city by myself. Lauren, Dinah, Normani, Ally, and I had met for breakfast and I proposed a day of shopping at The Grove while all four of them looked at me sadly and declined. Dinah and Normani had a project due for another class they shared and Lauren and Ally had their final practice with the senior students that were helping them with the instrumentals for their song, and so I sighed, feeling a little rejected and decided I would have to go alone. 

I hadn't planned on buying anything, I just wanted to look, that was until I found what I didn't realize I needed and after I made my purchase from a jewelry counter at Barneys I headed to Starbucks, ordered myself a coffee and sat down at one of the tables with my journal from Lauren in my hands and made a plan. Ally had been right. I couldn't just sing Lauren the song and let it play out. I needed to make a move, a bold one, that would tell her that I wanted more. 

I returned back to campus just after dinner time and decided to call it a night, tired from the day, the exhaustion from the overwhelming crowds I had encountered in every store I walked into finally catching up with me. I felt Lauren slip into bed just before curfew and when she wrapped her arms around me, I turned and tucked my face into her neck and tangled our legs together, mumbling a goodnight and before I could stop myself I lifted my head and pressed my lips to her cheek.  

I woke up for the first time, before Lauren and looked at the clock. It was just after six and I knew she would be waking soon to follow her usual routine of sitting in the park and watching what could have been and should have been her life. I had decided right then, that I would go with her. I staggered out of bed and pulled my white denim shorts from my dresser and as I was looking for a shirt I noticed Lauren's Bob Marley tee thrown over the back of her desk chair and quickly grabbed it as I headed to the bathroom.